The push for the revitalisation of te reo Māori continues with the launch of a new survey by Te Mātāwai to understand what initiatives are underway to support the language.

Te Mātāwai is the independent statutory entity that is charged with supporting te reo Māori revitalisation in homes and communities on behalf of iwi, Māori and Māori language communities. It has commissioned the New Zealand Council for Educational Research to develop the online survey, He Reo Ora, as part of a wider Māori language revitalisation research programme. The survey asks people who have organised, participated in, or funded activities or developed resources to support te reo Māori revitalisation to share their efforts. Information gathered in the survey will be used to create a free database.

“Our vision is that te reo Māori is restored as a nurturing first language in homes and communities, and so it is important that Te Mātāwai has the information to share and be informed by, our iwi and sector leaders working with whānau,” says Te Atarangi Whiu, Tumu Whakarae of Te Mātāwai.

“The language activities and resources people are organising and developing for themselves, their whānau, and their communities play an important part in restoring the language,” says Ms Whiu.

“The He Reo Ora online survey will help us get the big picture of these initiatives from all over the country.”

“Once the He Reo Ora online survey is complete, Te Mātāwai will use the information to create a free database to help people find and share activities and resources that can support them on their te reo Māori journeys.”

1 COMMENT

I was not aware of this survey. I am against compulsory Te Reo Maori being taught in schools. Language is simply a tool for communications and for the world to communicate better we should all be learning languages that help mankind to do this. Te Reo Maori does not do this – it heads in The opposite direction entirely. We should all be learning a language that large sectors of the planet engage in – like Japanese, Russian, Mandarin, French or Spanish that can be used in international trade and commerce or travel. The Maori language does not achieve any of these things. Of course people can learn Te Reo if they wish, I have nothing against this, but in the end it will achieve nothing. They are better to pursue a language that has a practical benefit to mankind.